• Describe your firm (personnel, size and experience of the organization).
• What memberships do you hold in professional organizations? Awards received?
• What schools were attended by the staff and what general training requirements are expected of the staff?
• What is your philosophy or understanding of church design? Are there particular styles or approaches to church architecture you like or dislike?
• What are your thoughts on cooperation between architect and church and building committee? Specifically: What is the congregation’s job? What is the job of the committee? What is the architect’s job?
• What is your method of assigning design responsibilities?
• Do you provide design and help in the selection of furnishings? What is the fee for this service?
• What is your responsibility for the engineering of the project?
• Who will supervise the construction? How will it be supervised? Do you provide supervisory services? How much is the fee, and how much onsite supervision do you provide?
• Questions about preliminary design for the building: What method will be used to secure approval from the building committee? What method will be used to secure approval from the congregation? How do you prepare the estimated cost of the project? Are you committed to working within the congregation’s budget? Do you help prepare a brochure (with a sketch) that can be used in presenting the project to the congregation?
• What type of bidding is preferred? Separate or one general? Open or invitational? And, what is your knowledge of local and area markets?
• Describe your prior work including churches and educational facilities for churches. What were the estimated costs and actual costs? Will you suggest churches for which you have worked that we can contact for recommendations?
• Is preparation of comprehensive and schematic studies included in your service?
• What is your firm’s record in meeting time schedules?
• Describe your fee structure and contract: AIA standards; Amounts for new and remodeling jobs; Termination opportunities; Responsibility and procedure when bid overages occur; Model or rendering included? (a drawing or miniature model); What extras?
• What construction delivery methods have you used/do you prefer?
• What questions do you, the architect, have for the committee?
• Other questions or comments.

This list of questions is part of an essay by Ryan Hazen, a consultant with the Board of Church Extension of the Disciples of Christ, titled “A Building Project: From Dream to Dedication.” It will be included in www.congregationalresources.org: a Guide to Resources for Building Congregational Vitality, edited by Richard Bass, to be published in June 2003 by the Alban Institute.